GACRZ submits memo objecting to draft CRZ notification

11 Jul 201806:49am IST

11 Jul 201806:49am IST

Group says changes proposed are regressive and against public interest; Claims it violates principles of legislation, logic and science

Team Herald

PANJIM: Goans against CRZ 2018 (GACRZ), a federation of unions, political parties and activists on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) objecting to the draft CRZ Notification 2018.

The memorandum was signed by the core groups of NGOs – Goans for Goa (GFG), Goenche Ramponkarancho Ekvot (GRE), Musical Warriors, and Transform Goa along with political parties Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“Goa has the smallest coastline of 105 km and a land mass of 3,704 sq km. It is an ecologically sensitive area and needs to be protected by controlling and guarding against unscrupulous exploitation, for the long term benefit of human beings. This must be done by protecting and maintaining the ecological balance of the area,” GRE general secretary Olencio Simoes said.

He added, “We are writing this letter, to remind the government about this fatal flaw in such a process and to reiterate our position and demands on the Draft Coastal Zone Regulation Zone Notification 2018,” GACRZ said.

He added that they have studied the notification and submit that the changes proposed are regressive and against public interest, and that this draft notification blatantly violates the principles of legislation, logic and science.

“Draft CRZ 2018 is proposed only to facilitate the Sagarmala programme in which Goa will be made a coal hub via Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and our six rivers, which are nationalised, will be used for shipping cargo, through our waterways of Goa. It will have a devastating impact on the environment, coastal ecosystem, the livelihood of the fishing community, marine bio-diversity, tourism, local businessmen and the people of Goa at large,” GACRZ said.